New Director of North Macedonia's Shutka Prison Sparks Controversy Over Past Conviction and 2016 Pardon
Opposition party Levica says the newly appointed director had previously served a prison sentence and was pardoned by former President Ivanov.
The appointment of a new director at North Macedonia's largest prison, Shutka, has sparked political controversy after opposition party Levica said the newly named director had previously been convicted and served a prison sentence.
Esad Rahić was appointed director after his predecessor, Boban Utkovski, resigned citing personal reasons. According to Levica, the new director was pardoned in 2016 by then-President Gjorge Ivanov.
The party called the appointment questionable, arguing that a leadership position at the country's largest correctional facility requires an unblemished legal and reputational record. The Ministry of Justice had not issued an official response to the claims at the time of publication.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · September 26, 2026
